A+ Foundation for West Aurora Schools Reading Initiative Fund

Established 2016

This fund was established to support West Aurora School District’s Literacy Through the Arts After-School Program.

Literacy Through the Arts utilizes poetry, music, and visual arts as avenues to increase student achievement in reading. While many students find reading exciting and engaging, there is an unfortunate number of students who have not yet uncovered the joy of reading. Literacy Through the Arts is designed to build off of kids’ inclination towards the arts in support of literacy skills. Students discover that the passion generated from art, music, and poetry during an after school program can be transferred to the reading skills they learn from their classroom teacher during school hours. Each lesson supports acquisition of literacy skills through collaborative activities focusing on vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. During this 12-week program, teachers and high school student- mentors will meet with a group of first and second grade students in eight targeted elementary buildings.

A History of West Aurora School District 129

In 2016, the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley partnered with the A+ Foundation for West Aurora Schools in preserving the history of West Aurora School District 129. Together they produced a collection of photographs, biographies, a video and more highlighting the impressive history of the West Aurora Schools.